


the lights will guide you home

by JustATinyTurtle



Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Series 4, me continually trying to make morse happy, season 4, slaps a bandaid over canon FIXED IT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 21:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18169820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustATinyTurtle/pseuds/JustATinyTurtle
Summary: “I’ll see you around, Joan.”“Oh, so living together is what gets you to call me Joan,” she teases. “I should’ve thought of that ages ago,” she playfully chastises herself.Morse laughs and then shakes his head at her. “Have a good night.”Or, Morse waits at the hospital for Joan and convinces her to return to Oxford.





	the lights will guide you home

**Author's Note:**

> Just a super quick warning, they briefly talk about her losing the baby and how she feels about it. Not exactly sure if that’s a trigger warning but I thought I would just mention it real quick.

Joan squints as the harsh lighting of the hospital hits her eyes. 

“How are you feeling?” A voice speaks up from beside her bed. 

She turns her head slightly to get a better view. “Morse?”

Seeing her confused expression, Morse elaborates, “the hospital called me. I came to see how you were.” 

“Well my head hurts,” she starts, “I’m pretty tired from being out for so long. Did the doctor say if...” she trails off, placing a hand over her stomach. 

Morse sighs, tugging on his left ear briefly. “You lost the baby.”

Joan squeezes her eyes shut tightly, willing herself not to cry. However, a persistent tear rolls down her cheek. “I was scared when I first found out. Didn’t know how anyone would react. I certainly wasn’t ready to be a mother, but now that the baby’s gone...”

Morse reaches out his hand and holds on to hers, offering support. “That’s a normal reaction, Miss Thursday, and it wasn’t your fault.” 

“Thanks for coming to check on me,” she says as she wipes a tear off of her cheek.

“You don’t have to thank me,” his thumb rubs soothing circles on her hand. “Why did the hospital call me? Surely there is someone else you’d rather have at your bedside.”

“I put you down as my next-of-kin,” she explains, only slightly embarrassed. “Sorry about that, but you were the only one who knew I was here and Ray certainly wouldn’t have wanted it.”

“No, don’t apologize, I don’t mind.”

The door creaks and the doctor’s footsteps approach. He nears Joan’s bed and speaks up. “How are you feeling?”

“Not great,” Joan laughs, humorlessly. 

“Well that’s not unexpected. I assume your husband has informed you of your situation?” After receiving a nod from Joan who didn’t feel like explaining the situation, he continues. “I’m terribly sorry for your loss. However, it won’t be too long before you can have another.” 

“How long do you need to keep her here?” Morse asks. 

“Not too much longer, I should think,” the doctor replies, “she should probably be able to leave tomorrow or the next.” 

“Thank you,” Morse nods his head at the doctor and turns back to face Joan. Morse waits for the doctor to leave until he speaks up again. “Where are you going to go?” 

“I don’t know,” she says, resigned, “it’s such a mess right now. I suppose I’ll just go back.” 

“You can’t go back there, not after what he’s done to you,” Morse shakes his head.

“I don’t have very many options right now, Morse. I can’t go back to my parents like this and I don’t have enough saved up yet to leave where I am now,” she explains, just sounding tired. She wishes she never left Oxford in the first place, but it’s a little too late to play the if-game, she supposes. 

“You can stay with me,” Morse offers. “It might not be the Queen’s palace, but you’re welcome to stay there until you’re back on your feet.” 

Joan shakes her head, “you’re too nice, Morse. Certainly too nice to be wasting your time on the likes of me.”

“Joan,” he said, calling her by her first name to prove that he was serious, “stay with me. You don’t have to let your parents know you’re back in town and you don’t have to go back to Ray.” 

“You should be out meeting girls, not keeping your boss’s daughter at your flat while she gets her life together. I can’t do that to you,” she refuses. 

“You’re my friend, Joan Thursday, I look out for my friends,” Morse explains. 

“Of course you do,” she laughs. “Heart of gold in you, Morse. Alright, fine. I’ll stay with you while I figure out what I’m going to do.”

• • •

Two days later, Morse lets himself into the flat that Joan was staying at. He makes his way up the stairs towards her room. He pushes the door open gently and steps inside. 

The whole room smells like her. He stops for a moment and breathes it in. He then shakes his head slightly to clear it and pulls a list that Joan made him from his pocket. He pulls a trunk out from underneath her bed and begins to fill it with her belongings. He quickly throws the clothes in the case, feeling improper at holding them even though she asked him to. 

He picks up one of her records and runs his finger along it. He had always been partial to the opera and classical music, never really seeing the appeal in the current pop music. With a slight chuckle, he places it inside the trunk.   
After he finishes gathering her belongings, he picks up the trunk and carries it down the stairs. He quickly exits the flat and makes his way to the hospital to pick up Joan. 

“Everything, as requested,” he says as soon as he see her. 

“What would I do without you, Morse?” She smiles slightly as she gives him a brief hug in thanks. 

Morse just smiles in reply as he holds out his arm for her to grab onto in case she was still feeling weak. 

The two make their way to the tube and hop on the one headed for Oxford. 

A little less than an hour later, they stood in Morse’s flat. “You can take the bed, I’ll take the couch,” Morse offers as he sets her trunk down on his bed. 

“No, it’s your bed,” she tries to argue, though she knows she probably won’t win. He was chivalrous to a fault. 

“I refuse to let you sleep on that couch,” Morse gives a slight chuckle, “you’ve just been through an ordeal and you’re my guest. Please take the bed.”

“Fine, but only because you said please,” she states as she sits down on the bed to remove her shoes. “Also because I figure I’m not likely to win this argument anyway.” 

Morse smirks as he starts making tea. “You are correct.” 

The kettle sings shortly after and Morse pours her a cup, bringing it to her as she sits still on the bed. 

She accepts it with a small smile and takes a sip before speaking. “I’m not even sure if I would be able to drink this if I were still pregnant.” 

Morse sits down next to her with a sigh. He tentatively places a hand on her back and she leans closer to him, seeking comfort. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now,” he starts, “but if you ever need to talk to someone or need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.” 

She nods silently, wiping a stray tear from her face. “I can’t get over it. I mean, I never wanted children so young but after having one and losing it, I don’t know what to do with myself,” she explains.   
“I don’t think it’s ever something that someone gets over,” Morse offers. “I think most parents just have to find a way to make their peace with it and continue on.”

“How do I do that?” She asks, feeling hopeless. 

“Find someone to talk to. Accept that your baby is in a better place,” Morse shrugs. 

“I never really was the Church-going sort,” Joan explains. 

“Neither was I,” Morse nods, “but I suppose there’s a bit of comfort in it, knowing your loved ones are somewhere better. Happy.” 

Joan nods silently. She leans up to kiss Morse on the cheek. “Thank you.” 

“Any time,” Morse says sincerely as he removes his hand from her back and stands up. “I’m going to stop down at the station and then pick up some groceries. Would you like me to pick up anything for you?” 

“Chocolate?” She asks, chuckling. 

• • •

“You could always go see them again,” Morse says over dinner a few days later. The two had gotten to talking about her parents. 

“I know you’re right,” Joan sighs as she takes a drink of her water. “But after I left and after all that’s happened, I’m not sure if I can go back.” 

“They’re you’re parents,” Morse argues back as he stands up, taking their plates to the sink. “They miss you. They’ll understand.”

“But they won’t understand, that’s the thing. My parents have always had their lives together. I’m a mess, they wouldn’t understand.” Joan shakes her head, looking down at her hands in her lap. 

“They’ll probably understand more than you think. Besides, even if they don’t fully understand, I’m sure they’ll just be happy to have you home, safe.” He runs the plates through the running water and washes them with a sponge before he sets them down on the dish rack. He wipes his hands with a towel as he turns to face Joan again. 

“I suppose you’re right,” she mulls over the idea in her head. She silently debated with herself for a moment before making up her mind. “Do you have a phone here?” Morse points to his right towards his phone and Joan picks it up, looking to talk to her mother. 

“Hello?” Her mother’s voice speaks up once the lines had been connected. 

“Hi, mum,” Joan says quietly. 

“Joan!” Her mother exclaims, excitedly. “What’s going on? Where are you?”

“I’m actually back in Oxford,” Joan says, fingers playing with the sleeve on her shirt. “Morse convinced me to come back.” 

“Bless that man,” her mother seems to whisper to herself. “Where are you staying, can we pick you up?” 

“I’m actually with Morse right now,” Joan explains, peeking over her shoulder to smirk at Morse, who’s doing his best to act like he’s not listening. “I wasn’t ready to go back yet but now I think I am.” 

Her mother lets loose a joyous exclamation and puts the phone back to her ear. “Would you like your father to come pick you up?” 

“I’d like that,” Joan smiles. She bids farewell to her mother and hangs up the phone. She turns to Morse. “Thank you for everything. Really.” 

“Of course,” Morse nods with a small smile. 

“I mean it,” she says as she walks over to him, “if you hadn’t been there with me I would’ve stayed with Ray for who knows how long. I didn’t know how to get myself out of there.” Morse ducks his head slightly, bashfully. Joan walks over and hugs him. “Thanks for putting up with me, too.” 

“You say that as if it was a chore,” Morse replies as his arms fall over her. 

“Wasn’t it?” She teases. 

“Never,” he shakes his head with a small laugh. “Actually my flat will feel empty now that you’re leaving.” 

Joan smiles as she pulls back. “Well I can always visit,” she winks at him. 

There’s a knock on the door and Morse walks over to open it. 

Fred Thursday stands on the other side and nods at Morse. “I’ve heard you’ve seen Joan.” 

Morse steps aside and Joan walks over to the door to hug her father. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and squeezes him tightly.

“I’ve missed you, Joanie,” Fred whispers as he lets her go. 

“I’ve missed you too,” she replies. “My stuff is just back here. There’s not much of it, I’ll go get it.” She runs off to the other side of Morse’s flat to grab her trunk with all of her belongings. 

“Thanks for bringing her back,” Fred says as he turns to Morse. “You’re a good man, Morse. Can’t imagine anyone better for my Joan.” 

“Oh, no, that’s not-“ Morse interjects but Thursday just laughs. 

“I know, kid,” he says as he places a hand on Morse’s shoulder. “But should that day ever come, you have my blessing.” 

Joan returns before Morse can reply. “Here, Dad,” she hands Fred the trunk. 

“I’ll take this to the car. Come down when you’re ready,” Fred says as he walks out of Morse’s doorway. 

Joan slowly turns towards Morse. “I suppose we’ll be seeing less of each other now.” 

Morse gives a small shrug. “I’ll see you around, Joan.” 

“Oh, so living together is what gets you to call me Joan,” she teases. “I should’ve thought of that ages ago,” she playfully chastises herself. 

Morse laughs and then shakes his head at her. “Have a good night, Joan.” 

Joan gives him a small, sweet smile before turning to leave. She makes it a few steps out his door before she turns around again. “Would you, um, would you want to maybe grab coffee some time?” She asks, suddenly nervous instead of playful. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she continued. “I mean, you can say no. Our timing has never been too great anyway, but I just thought-“ 

Morse cuts her off with a small chuckle. “I would love to,” he says sincerely.


End file.
